


From Childhood's Hour

by ThatOCLady



Category: The Royal Romance (Visual Novel)
Genre: Angst, Best Friends, First Time, Gay, Humor, M/M, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-10
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2019-07-10 14:30:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15951275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatOCLady/pseuds/ThatOCLady
Summary: Liam seeks answers from Drake the night before his coronation.





	From Childhood's Hour

_**2003** _

It was the first time he had felt himself break. A prince wasn't supposed to be scared. But in his haste to get away from the palace, he had dragged them both into a disaster.   
"We're going to die. And it's going to be my fault", Liam was nearly in tears, "I'm so sorry, Drake"   
He looked as terrified as he felt. The storm rocked their little boat everywhere, making Liam certain this was the end. But Drake left the stern and hobbled over to him.   
"Liam? Liam, look at me. Hey! We're not going to die, all right? We are going to turn the boat home and get there safe and sound"   
Liam shouted over the clap of thunder -   
"I don't want to go home! I hate it there! I would much rather die here with you!"   
"Snap out of it! You hear me?", Drake shook him, "We're not going to die here! I am not letting you die"   
"I don't care", Liam seethed, "I don't care if I ever go back"   
He met Drake's eyes,   
"As long as I'm here with you, I..."   
Those were to become the first of a series of words left unsaid. But it was with shock that Liam looked up, and the storm roared, when his friend took his face in both hands. Drake's eyes held a determination in them.   
"You can choose to either die with me or live with me. Which is it going to be, Liam?"   
Life - he chose life. 

* * *

 

_**2007** _

It was the most difficult time for a 14-year old Drake. He had lost his hero. That too in serving those who thought his death brought him honor. Where was the honor in dying and leaving your family on their own?   
"Drake? Drake, where are you going?"   
He was storming out of the palace, having heard another noble comment on what a pity his father's death was.   
_"But his family is going to receive a generous amount of compensation for it!"_  
As if that would bring his father back. How he hated every single fucking person in that place...   
"Drake! Wait!"   
"Leave me alone!", Drake yelled back over his shoulder.   
He fell into a run to escape Liam. He was full of hatred and rage at that moment, didn't want his friend to receive the brunt end of it.   
"Drake!", Liam's hand fell on his shoulder.   
He pushed it off and shoved the younger prince away.   
"Leave me alone!", he shouted.   
Liam's face, always so innocent, showed hurt. He said,   
"But I'm your friend. I just want to..."   
"You're not my friend! No one is", Drake exclaimed, "My Dad died trying to protect yours. I don't want anything to do with you or your fucked up family!"   
"Don't say that, Drake", Liam stepped forward and touched his arm.   
Seeing red, Drake threw a punch that landed straight on Liam's jaw. Tears flew out of his eyes, more at the hurt he had caused his best friend.   
"I told you!", Drake cried, "Leave me alone!"   
Liam's mouth was bleeding now. The sight transformed Drake's tears into heaving sobs.   
"Go away, Liam. Please", he wept.   
When Liam sprang forward to hug him, he couldn't keep it together anymore. Drake buried his face against Liam's shoulder as his body shook with tremulous sobs. He held on to him, crying and whimpering,   
"Why won't you let me go?" 

* * *

_**2018** _

What good would it do them to dwell on it now?  
They had led different lives, become different people. When Liam had returned after graduating from Oxford, it had taken a few months for them to fall in with each other. That was a good time.  
And how stupid had he felt.  
Drake remembered getting flustered at the first sight of an adult Liam, so unbelievably handsome. They spent that period of time getting to know one another again, reminisce, and slip into the feeling of familiarity. Now it would be the opposite. They would drift apart again, and go back to being acquaintances. Would it even be possible though, when they had known each other so closely since forever?   
_'Anything's possible in this goddamn place'_ , Drake thought.   
He sat up in bed and looked at the watch on his nightstand. Quarter past 4. So he had slept the afternoon off again. Big deal. What the hell did he have to look forward to everyday anyway?   
There was Liam's Coronation the next day and the King-to-be had demanded that Drake be present there at all costs.   
_'Huh'  
_ A small smile touched the corner of his mouth at the thought - King Liam. Cordonia deserved Liam. Sadly, Drake didn't believe he did. 

 

It was nothing short of a miracle that Liam was let off early from the preparations. The speech was practiced, the clothes fitted, instructions received. However, the most important task still lay ahead of him.   
"Pick up already", he sighed into the phone.   
Relief swept through him on hearing Drake's voice.   
"Hey"   
"Where are you?", Liam asked.   
"At my place. Why?"   
It took a deep breath for him to say,   
"I want to meet"   
"Don't you have to get ready for tomorrow?"   
"Let me worry about that"   
"All right. Come on over"   
Liam hung up and called for Bastien. The Crown Prince's bodyguard appeared as summoned and bowed his head.   
"I'm going to Drake's. Cover for me", Liam said.   
"Of course, _Your Majesty_ "   
Liam smiled at that quip and headed past Bastien. 

When he reached the Walker house and turned his key in the lock, Liam was greeted by the smell of leather, fried food and pizza. Drake used some so-called macho concoction as his room freshener. It was much better compared to the bachelor pad's natural odor, which only came from Drake being too lazy and distracted to actually clean the house every week.   
"Drake?"   
"In here"   
Liam picked up a bunch of carpentry catalogues from the floor and put those on the coffee table. He ventured within to Drake's bedroom.   
"This a familiar sight", he said.   
Drake gave him the middle finger without looking up. There was a bowl of french fries on his chest, a box of half-eaten pizza at his side, and a bottle of whiskey in his hand. So, Friday Drake.   
"Move over"   
Liam perched on the bed and shoved Drake a little until he made some space for him. They set their eyes on the TV screen where a football match between the Hartfeld Knights and the Northbridge Bears was in full swing. Liam reached for the fries but Drake pulled it away,   
"Get your own"   
"Hey!", Liam had to laugh at that.   
He gazed at the furrowed brows and the chomping mouth. How the hell did he fall for such a...   
"What are you even doing here? Shouldn't you be trying to sneak out on a date with your bride-to-be? Little Miss Perfect from New York", Drake asked.   
Liam took a moment to answer. His stomach was a mosh pit of butterflies, but it was now, or forever-hold-your-peace.   
"I need to talk to you about something"   
"Go ahead"   
"Would it kill you to be civil and look at me?"   
"No, but it would make me miss the game", Drake said and shot up in bed, nearly knocking the bowl of food off him, "That's right, Gayle! You show them who's the boss! Hell yeah!"   
"Drake?"   
"What?", he said impatiently.   
"Do you remember the question I asked you before I went to college?"   
That did it, all right. Drake kept his eyes on the screen but there was a momentous change in his facial expression. He said,   
"I don't know what you're talking about"   
"You're a terrible liar"   
It made Liam smile to see Drake roll his eyes and mutter something under his breath. He leaned forward, grabbed the remote, and switched off the TV. Drake protested,   
"Hey! I was watching that! Give..."   
"I asked you something that meant life or death to me. Your answer hurt me so bad, that I didn't realise until much later I should have asked you a follow-up question"   
Drake fumed and sat up straighter facing Liam, glaring at him. It didn't faze the Prince.   
"You said then that you can't love me. But do you?"   
Evading as always, Drake got off the bed, piling his arm with the food and holding the whiskey bottle. He spluttered,   
"You're supposed to get engaged tomorrow, Liam. Act like it. Life is not some stupid yaoi romance drama"   
"Answer me"   
Drake stopped in his tracks and scowled,   
"What's gotten into you suddenly?"   
Liam got off the bed and made his way to Drake. They stood across each other in a stare-down.   
"Do you love me, Drake?"   
"Like a friend, I..."   
"No", Liam stepped forward, "Not like a friend. Like the way I love you"   
Drake shook his head and headed for the kitchen. Liam was at his heels.   
"Drake?"   
They arrived right back in the bedroom, where Drake turned to Liam and sighed,   
"Why are you doing this to yourself?"   
"I just want to know"   
"What the fuck for?"   
It was Liam's turn to frown.   
"Because this might very well be your last chance to tell me the truth, to be honest with me. Don't you realize what's going to happen tomorrow? Or do you realize but you simply don't _care?_ Someone is going to get engaged to marry me, Drake. She is going to spend her whole life with me. She is going to have first claim on me. She's going to be my..."   
**_"I get it, I get it! I GET IT, OKAY?!"_**

The two friends stood dazed, looking at each other. Drake ran a hand through his hair. He swallowed a lump in his throat before speaking,   
"I know you're going to choose your wife tomorrow. I know that she's going to be able to be with you every second of the day. To be known as yours and yours alone, to be able to sleep with you, to wake up to your face, to... to touch you"   
Drake said grimly,   
"Even the thought of someone getting to be with you makes me want to break shit and yell at the top of my lungs. It hurts like hell that I am doomed to lose you to someone who could never love you like I could"   
Drake roughly wiped a stray tear from his eye,   
"But I am going to be a man about it, Liam. I am not going to get you in trouble again over me. You deserve someone who is not broken and damaged. And I certainly don't deserve you"   
He turned to leave the room, but Liam caught him by the arm. Drake said,   
"Look, I really don't want to talk to you right now. Let's forget..."   
His speech was cut off by Liam's mouth on his. Liam's lips. Liam's soft-like-a-damned-flower lips. Drake felt his eyes close and his mouth open for Liam's.  
It was heaven. 

Grabbing his face, Drake deepened that kiss. His tongue fought for dominance against Liam's. It was a rough, sloppy kiss. And he loved every second of it.   
"Stop", he tried desperately to stop himself from kissing, "I... stop a second"   
Liam licked Drake's lower lip one last time before letting go. Drake watched his flushed face, his chest rising and falling, trying to catch his breath.   
"Are you crazy?", he wheezed.   
"Yeah. About you"   
"Don't be fucking cute"   
"Drake", Liam held him, "Enough. No more lying. No more half-truths. I am in love with you. I want to make love to you. Do you want me to?"   
More than anything. Drake felt his skin tingle at the thought of Liam touching him, claiming him. But how could he let it happen? He had to protect Liam from himself.   
"And what happens tomorrow then? You tell your fiance 'Hey, I fucked my best friend last night but it's okay. Never again. We gotta make royal babies after all'?"   
"Is that what you're worried about? That this will just be a one time thing?"   
Drake was flustered,   
"I-I'm not... that's not what I am... wait. What are you doing?"   
"What I should have done sooner"   
Drake felt himself levitate for a second before he landed on his back in the bed. Having just lifted him, Liam climbed on top of his friend and began tugging off his clothes. 

It was almost an out-of-body experience for Drake. He let Liam undress him, knowing a disaster was going to happen and yet wanting to experience every second of it.   
"You're so ripped", Liam commented.   
Drake deflected that compliment by saying,   
"I work out my sexual frustrations in the gym"   
"Well, not anymore"   
Liam opened his mouth wide and placed it on Drake's large chest. His tongue licked the salty skin while his lips sucked on it. What they were doing was the definition of forbidden, Drake realized, but god it felt good. He cautiously put his hand on the back of Liam's head.   
Considering that as an encouragement, Liam flicked his tongue across Drake's nipples.   
"What the hell was that?"   
Liam put a finger on Drake's lips and tenderly sucked on the tiny bud in his mouth. And sure enough, Drake twitched, feeling himself grow hard.   
"What the f...", he gasped.   
Liam's kisses trailed down to his abs. He mumbled,   
"Let me love you, Drake"   
Drake swallowed hard and watched his best friend lick his muscular abs. He shuddered when Liam poked the tip of his tongue into his belly-button and swirled it around.   
"You freak"   
That got him a shameless grin from the Prince, who unbuckled Drake's pants, and nibbled along the V-thing on his pelvis as it came to be exposed. Drake felt himself harden even more as Liam's mouth inched closer.   
"Hey...", he tried, "You don't have to..."   
"I want to", Liam said before pulling off Drake's pants.   
Drake's poor heart skipped a beat at the way Liam stared. He grew self-conscious.   
"Don't look at it like that. You have one too", he frowned.   
Chuckling at that, Liam tugged off Drake's underwear with his teeth, grazing his apparent erection in the process. Drake shook his head in despair. If a touch of his teeth felt like...   
"Holy fuck!", he jumped.   
But Liam pushed him down again with his free hand. With his other hand and his mouth, he lavished Drake's thick member with attention. Drake struggled with wanting to throw his head back and wanting to discover why the hell did Liam's tongue feel so good around his cock. In a second, he did the first as Liam's mouth enveloped his swollen head. The royal brat sucked on it, driving Drake insane.   
"Fuck", he whispered.   
He tried not to lose himself in the euphoria. Liam's tongue glided along the length and underneath it, while his hand alternated between pumping and stroking. Drake's fists tightened over his face as he battled with his own pleasure. Ruthless Liam slid his lips up and down, up and down. He firmly clamped them at the base and sucked hard.   
"Jesus!", Drake hissed.   
He tugged at Liam's hair but that only spurred him on. The Prince bobbed his head, letting the tip hit different spots in his mouth with every moment. Drake could feel himself getting painfully close.  
Almost there.   
"Stop. I'm gonna..."   
"Mm-mm", Liam moaned with his mouth full.   
"You idiot, I'm gonna cum in your mouth if you don't... stop. Fuck"   
That served as further encouragement. Liam sucked harder now, taking him towards his throat, and trailed a finger along Drake's crack.   
"What the fuck do you think you're... ah! Do it! Don't stop!"   
With his finger poking in and out of Drake's ass, Liam slowed the speed of his mouth. He finger-fucked his best friend, rubbed his thumb on the puckered little hole. Drake was shaking by now. He growled when Liam added a second finger, winced when he added the third.   
"Oh god... fuck, I'm going to die"   
Liam's fingers spread inside him, stretching out the little hole. It was a surprise to Drake that the fingers were bringing him more pleasure than the mouth. As if to defy that, Liam adopted a new angle of his head, making slurping sounds as he drooled all around his friend's dick.   
"I'm going to...", Drake sighed.   
Liam kept stretching him out, now with a fourth finger. It was too much for Drake, but he couldn't deny the pleasure it brought. He bucked his hips a little, held Liam's head.  
He was close. So close. There. Almost. Oh god. Almost.  
"Aaah!", Drake screamed as he came.   
His whole body trembled at the powerful climax. It reached right up to his head. The orgasm was so intense, he banged his fist repeatedly on the bed. He moaned as Liam licked up the cum dripping out of his cock.   
"Oh god. Holy fuck. Fuck... god damn you, Liam Rys", Drake panted. 

By the time he had regained his senses, Drake noticed Liam looking up at him from between his legs. He stopped short of reaching out and touching the man's face. Instead, he used his trusty defense - sarcasm.   
"What do you want, a medal?"   
In answer, Liam rose and got on his knees. Drake put an arm under his head and watched his friend. He caught the smoldering gaze, which drifted to his naked lower half every other second.   
"Cat got your tongue?"   
Drake was pulled down along the bed when Liam swung his legs over his shoulders. It was Drake's cue to blush, seeing the wide angle his body presented to Liam's eyes.   
"Hey, I can't just turn it on again. Wait for it"   
With Drake's feet still on his shoulders, Liam reached for the pillow and put it under the man's elevated lower back.   
"What are you doing? Tell me"   
Lowering his head, Liam opened his mouth right above Drake's little hole. The equestrian was equal amounts horrified and aroused to see Liam pour the cum out of his mouth onto his ass.   
"The fuck are you doing?", he sounded nervous.   
Liam stroked his muscular buttcheeks before diving tongue-first. He swirled his tongue around the cum, licking it right into Drake's asshole. Drake shivered and complained again but never asked him to stop. He felt Liam's fingers inside him. The tickling feeling of having his ass eaten soon turned into pleasure.   
"Get me a condom", Liam said and went back to sucking on the hole.   
Drake gulped. So they were going all the way. He found it insanely sexy how the usually polite Liam just ordered him to get a condom.   
"Hey...", Drake tried to reach the bedside drawer, "Wait a sec... let me... let me get it"   
"I'm not stopping"   
Grunting when Liam's fingers curled inside him, Drake stretched his arm to pull the drawer open. He reached blindly for its contents. And below his waist, his shaft stirred again.   
"Damn it, Liam. Let me..."   
His fingers fell upon the desired contents, which he pulled out in a handful. Liam paused the rim job to remark upon the number of condoms.   
"I'm glad we're seeing eye to eye on this", he said.   
"Don't flatter yourself. I was just..." 

Drake's words seemed to evaporate in thin air. The sound of Liam's zipper being pulled down shut him up.  
He watched like a hawk Liam unzipping his trousers, pulling them off with his boxer briefs. What Drake had never allowed himself to dream about.  
It was embarrassing to Drake to have his mouth water at the sight. But hell, that looked impressive... and beautiful. Not hairy like his. Trimmed to perfection. Maybe Liam would let him...   
"This is going to hurt, all right?", Liam lowered Drake's feet off his shoulders, "I want you to be as comfortable as possible. Here, put this on me"   
Liam held out the rubber to him. Drake scowled to hide his blush,   
"Put on your own damn condom!"   
Liam smiled indulgingly. Shaking his head, he pulled the condom down his erection. Drake watched the slow performance.   
"Get on your knees"   
He found himself doing as told. He grit his teeth, waiting for the kind of pain he had only fantasized about. But his eyes fluttered open on feeling the butterfly kisses along his back. Liam kissed down his neck, right upto his crack. His long artistic hands gently kneaded Drake's buttocks.   
"If it hurts too much or you think you want me to stop, say so"   
Drake snatched the pillow and tucked it under his chin and folded arms. His stomach tightened with anticipation.   
"Do you want me to..."   
"Just do it already. Jesus!"   
"As you wish. Remember - we can stop if you want to"   
Eyes shut tight, Drake felt Liam enter him. It was not as painful as he had hoped but it was no picnic either. Liam was big. And he gently went deeper.   
"Ah!"   
Liam leaned over to say in his ear,   
"Sorry. Did that hurt?"   
"No, it... it felt good"   
Drake nearly melted on hearing that playful tone.   
"Glad to know"   
Liam's hot breath left his neck and his hot rod began moving again. Drake felt grateful for all the foreplay. Liam's dick slid in and out of him in gentle strokes.   
"Mmpf", Drake buried his face in the pillow.   
Liam seemed to sense the pleasure in his friend's body and thrust a little harder. Drake couldn't help but shake his ass a little around him. The movement egged on the Prince. He breathed aloud, going in deeper. And thank goodness, faster.   
Drake raveled and unraveled with each thrust and pull. He groaned into the pillow, helpless with pleasure. Liam bucked faster, his breath louder.   
"Ah", Drake turned his face to the side to breathe, "Ah!"   
"Does it feel good, Drake? Do you like it? I bet you do"   
Drake moaned, rendered immobile by those words and that cock. It glided in and out of him with speed. The pleasure began to take stronger form.    
"I love you, Drake"   
His knees trembled. Liam rubbed the small of his back, pumping in and out of him roughly now. A bolt of lightning shot down Drake's spine.   
"I love you so much", Liam whispered.   
The lightning reached where his body met Liam's and erupted. Drake let out a cry and quaked. His cock tingled all over. His hips gyrated on their own, nearly bucking off Liam. But with one final thrust, the Prince gasped too. He kept his dick inside of Drake for the moment of delirium, then collapsed right next to him in bed.  
Through misty eyes, Drake watched Liam roll onto his back, biting his lip, mumbling 'fuck' so low no one could hear. He watched his chest heave under that button-up. The most important thing he saw was Liam's eyes so full of love and his smile as he turned his face. Gingerly, Drake placed his hand on Liam's. The Prince looked down at it with surprise.   
"I love you", Drake admitted.   
His lover grinned like an idiot and rolled on his side to face him. He brushed the hair out of Drake's face, trailed his fingertips along the stubbled jaw.   
"I know", he smiled. 

A few minutes after, Liam had pulled the sheets over them. Drake begrudgingly leaned his head against the crook of Liam's arm, secretly loving the closeness.   
"What now?", he dared to ask.   
"Whatever you want"   
"About tomorrow, genius"   
"That's what I said. Whatever you want"   
Tears threatened to fill Drake's eyes. He scowled,   
"You don't mean that"   
"I do. Tomorrow, I'm going to declare that I'm hopelessly gay for a man called Drake Walker. There will be chaos. But the people will crucify the council if they overthrow me for my sexuality. At least, it will buy you some time to decide what you want"   
He wanted simple things - Liam and a ranch house close to the beach. Horses. Liam. Whiskey. Liam. Sex with Liam.   
"You know what I want?"   
Liam laughed,   
"A sandwich?"   
"No", Drake pulled the sheets off Liam's lower half, "That"   
He sat up and reached for it before Liam could say anything. But the latter stopped him,   
"Hey. Whoa, boy. Easy. What are you doing?"   
"I want to give you a damn blow job, Your Highness", he sounded offended, "What, you don't want one?"   
"I do. But...", Liam pointed, "This was just inside you. We used a condom but still..."   
Drake suggested,   
"So go shower"   
"Right now?"   
"Yeah. Right now"   
"But... I'm kind of tired"   
Drake pointed with his thumb,   
"Bathroom. Now. Or I'll kick you out of bed"   
With a sigh, Liam crawled out of the bed. He stopped right in front of Drake and stretched his arms over his head. Drake licked his lips, eyeing that perfect ass. Liam turned to him, unbuttoning his shirt, and throwing it in Drake's face. He caught it, unable to stop his smile from appearing.   
"You're so bossy", Liam complained.   
"Yeah, that's how you like it"   
Smirking at him from the bathroom door, the Prince disappeared inside. That left a sated, sighing Drake alone on the bed.   
It was the first time in a while that he had felt so much at peace. Tomorrow would change that. But as long as he was with Liam, he didn't mind if tomorrow never came.   
"I love him so bad", Drake muttered to himself, "Yep. I'm royally screwed"


End file.
